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Tuesday, 16 December 2014

I have never been a sharer. I hate sharing especially when it comes down to my food.
However, after visiting Mejico- a Mexican "market to table" restaurant in the Sydney CBD- I was more than happy to be open to the idea of sharing.

Mejico is a unique, modern Mexican restaurant that offers more than just your average taco or enchilada.
To top it off, that have a vast and extraordinary list of tequilas (probably the highlight of my night).

Mejico offers a "market to table" experience, which we got to witness first hand with our guacamole being made for us on the table by our lovely Mexican waiter. Unfortunately, due to too many amaretto sours and tequila's, I forgot his name. I should really start to take a notepad and pen with me!

Although we thought it may be a little pricy- between the 5 of us who dined together to have 6 dishes which by the way left us walking out of the door overly satisfied it was narrowed down to $28 a head including cocktails!

For an inner city Mexican experience we couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces!

Heres what we had- and trust me, we originally had no idea what we were ordering as the menu can be quite hard to decipher what it is you're really going to receive- but we apparently we nailed it on the head as we loved everything that was put in front of us!

There you have it!
Not a large order of food, and trust me I am a girl that can eat. But this left me full and completely happy. We had lovely staff that served us promptly all night and I think a few of the girls I went to dinner with, fell in love with the Mexican waiter that made our guacamole ;)

The cocktails, although not on their menu which we asked for instead were made beautifully and without an issue.
I had an amaretto sour which kicked my night off and the girls who I dined with all had sangria's.
You could say we felt like we were from sex and the city and we loved every minute of it.

And although I am a student who works casually, this was still one of the most affordable fine dining eats I have had.

Having a permanent screen light shining on your face truly brings out an ugly side in someone.

It's such a shame to think that we are so dependant on a device that really acts a vice or comfort and support.

After having my phone shut off, leaving me out of contact from the cyber world for 3 weeks, I learnt a few things about myself.

It wasn't voluntary thats for sure, and I can only admit to you that I tried everything in my power to try and get 'back on the line', until i realised I liked being out of touch and tried to milk it for as long as I could.

Unfortunately, it just isn't practical to not have a phone these days, with work and walking to my car at dusk and going out to 3am- I need to have a method of communication other than a payphone.

1800-REVERSE isn't ideal when you don't have any change and no one really answers blocked numbers anyway.

Week One

It was excruciating, something I can only imagine would be similar to rehabilitation from some sort of drug. Addicted to scrolling, double tapping, updating and 1- I forgot what it was like to live in a world which didn't revolve around news-feeds.

I tried to switch to my old Nokia- god bless the long life brick that never needs charging. However, after a series of unfortunately events- my Nokia too gave up on me and I was left in the dark once again.

For some reason that I am unaware of, I took this as a sign that maybe I wasn't meant to have a phone - because it really is once in a lifetime that you ever hear of a Nokia breaking!

Week Two

It was still painful, being out of touch and feeling entirely out of loop of social media.

However, something started to kick in- a little bit of humanity.

Going out with friends became more intimate, moments of beauty weren't blurred by my screens camera and I began to understand why my parents never understood our generation.

I began to actually have and hold hours of conversations with people, and in return I became more fulfilled and enriched with the lives of others.

Although we like to believe that our phones and our apps keep us connected with those we love around us- they actually make us more disconnected than ever before.

I had people come up to me and actually mention that they preferred me without my phone- that I was actually a really decent person without that phone in my hand. (Yeah, that one stung a bit).

You never really notice the impact it has on you and your personality when you are constantly on your phone.

Week Three

It had now become a delayed choice to want to get back on the line.

Although people had mentioned that it was time i needed to get a phone because they couldn't call me when they needed to, I knew that if I was get a new phone- I wouldn't be able to succumb to the pressure of becoming a social media and phone addict once again.

I genuinely noticed that I loved being out of reach from the constant use of social media and not even just social media, but out of reach in general.

If people wanted to talk to me- they would go out of their way too.

I know longer had pointless text messages with people about the food I was eating and I wasn't woken up in the middle of the night with drunk phone calls from friends.

I got used to waking up to the sunrise instead of an alarm and I also enjoyed the silence of not being able to be contacted.

I didn't get upset about seeing photos of friends at events that I wasn't invited to, and I became more than just the number of likes that I would get on my photos.

Week Four

Just as soon as I began to live- my no phone phase was shortly lived.

As I mentioned earlier, it is quite unrealistic to not have a phone in our society. So just like many blissful experiences in life- it came to an end.

The iphone 6 is treating my wonderfully however, I cannot say that I am that better person that I was without my phone.

I am once again immersed in the social realm of likes, photos and news-feeds.

As a blogger, I kind of have to be.

I know its no excuse- but heres showing that I learnt more about who I want to be when I didn't have to be online.

I am trying though, trying to find some middle ground in becoming who I was without a phone whilst still being contactable.

I fell in love with the lifestyle that not having a phone provided me with. It reminded me of when I was 14 and didn't need a phone (but still wanted one).

It's funny how the years have changed that into someone needing a phone but now, not wanting one.

Yes, it's nice being able to be back on facebook and instagram and to be able to be on the phone for hours with friends talking about what I ate in my day- however, silence never hurt anybody.

I do aim to reach my middle ground and somehow find the time to leave my phone at home (accidentally) every now and again just to get a few hours of tranquility.

But, for the time being all I have is this blog post and the memory. So I thought I'd share.

I get up at 2pm. I have a late lunchy type- breakfast substitute thing, i watch tv and already its dinner time. What the hell am i doing.Are you the same? What are you doing with your days?

As a uni student on break and for someone that works, i didnt do anything. My life for the past 12 months has been nothing but dismal. Had i not moved to sydney or met some incredible people in the past 6 months, i would of continued to watch my life pass by...

Because of lack of friends, or no motivation i spent most of my days in my room. With the door locked and movies on repeat. I never saw the world for what it was and i just let each day pass. A WHOLE FUCKING YEAR! gone. down the drain and i have nothing to look back on. And it sucks to say, but i didnt do anything with my time. I got out of bed when i needed to, i went to work, i went to uni...but on my time off? I did 'sweet fuck all'.

And. i. regret. every. moment. of. it.

Sure its okay for a couple of days when your on holiday...but if your life turns into this massive bubble where you become comfortable lying in pyjamas all day and not breathing fresh air. There is a problem.

Some might call it depression, laziness or just down right idiotic not to go outside and appreciate the world we have around us.

This became a realisation for me about 4 months ago. When i decided i would move to sydney and all of sudden i had nothing to say goodbye to in brisbane. I had nothing to miss. And thats when it hit me. What had i done there? I hadnt appreciated the scenic night lights or trying to meet the hundreds of people roaming the streets or even just joining in on the local opportunities in the area. I had blocked out the world and in return- i was left with nothing.

It takes courage and motivation to get out of bed and go out and do different things outside of your daily schedule. Im not asking you to go up to randoms and talk to them. All i am saying is try to make the most out of what you have. Dont run away or hide- you have nothing to lose, but such incredible things to gain.

Anyway- back to my timeline. It was around september so about 8 months wasted away in my room had already passed, when all of a sudden it hit me, i want to make the most out of this. I want to meet some new people- people who are now friends for life. I want to remember going out- i want to make crazy memories which i will later on, tell my future grandkids.

SO I GOT UP. I showered and left my sanctuary (shit-hole) to experience the unknown. I went to art galleries, i went to basement pubs and walked paths which i had no clue where the hell would end up taking me. I started instigating situations which meant meeting new people, tasting new foods and trying all sorts of alcohol. Every dollar and every minute was worth it. I learnt new things about the small city around me, i learnt that each person has their own story to tell and i realised that in this big wide world (which scared the hell out of me)- i wasnt alone.

Although you believe that its so hard to meet new people and that new people cant match up to your old friends... or new experiences, cant replace your old ones- THEY CAN.I have developed a whole new persona and a whole new outlook on life just because i told myself 'fuck it, what have i got to lose'.

Sure, it might of taken a few weeks- months even, but i got there. And i can happily say that ill never go back. I might still sleep in till 2 everyday, but i only have myself to blame if i do that. Set your alarm, get up, go for a walk. Listen to the birds around you, look at the people running along the beach or running for their last bus, watch and learn. It'll open your eyes to a whole new world, one which you chose to block out in the first place.

If you find yourself in your room, sleeping in all day, working all night and just buried in misery... i promise you, take a walk. Its something that i can easily resonate with. I am probably the worlds laziest person. It took years for me to realise that i was missing out on living a teenage life. I worked all night and studied all day, and so when i had time to kick my feet up, i didnt take advantage of that. I didnt appreciate the times where i could stay out all night to 6 am and watch the sunrise. I didnt get up and make eggs and bacon and go walking along the river. I didnt go to the movies or go to a play- instead i let moments like those pass. I cant hate myself for it and neither should you. All i can do is learn from my mistakes and realise that i can change for the better.

Help yourself. Live your life and make the most out of it. Appreciate what you have and what is around you, because who knows, you might surprise yourself.

Thats all for now. Sorry if this blog is a little direct, but it was a massive wake up call to me, and it might actually be a little harsh awakening to some of you out there.But feel free to email me or facebook me if you are stuck or you find your self nodding and saying "yep, i know how that feels", because like i said, you aren't alone and the world is full of hidden opportunities.